Free Lutheran Resources

Let’s applaud those who continue to create free Lutheran resources for the good of the Church! Thanks be to God! I’ll happily add more if you let me know about those from a resurrection- and means-of-grace-believing Lutheran perspective.

Denominational publishing houses, like Concordia Publishing House, frequently have free Lutheran resources on their site. Steadfast Lutherans has also created Steadfast in the Parish with their own collection listing freebies. Lutheran Audio Review has compiled a lot of available Lutheran podcasts and resources, so be sure to check them out as well. Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller has some great, great stuff here.

Other lists that I’m compiling are Living Lutheran Authors (including novelists) and Lutheran Shops for Lutheran Fine Artists, Crafters, Memorabilia, etc. Plus I’ve moved a number of educational lists & links to LutheranHomeschool.com. 🙂

I may or may not post all the free Lutheran resources either entity publishes, due to lack of time. However, I do love to try my own hand at creating resources, so you can always contact me to see if I can find something for you or perhaps together we can get any needed resource made for the good of the Church!

Advent & Christmas Resources

• Caroling books
• The LCMS website has a collection of free resources here, including FAQ pages on the history of Advent, the meaning of the Advent wreath, and why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.
• Christmas Programs
  • Basic example for small church based on Luke: Children’s Christmas Program 2017
  • “Good King Wenceslas Christmas program” is on the LCMS website here with free downloads for versions for either parochial schools or Sunday schools
  • Teach These Things offers a small parish program here.
  • Young Children’s Christmas Services via Kim Marxhausen
• Steadfast in the Parish typically produces an Advent Devotional & Service suggestions.

Bible Reading Plans

• 5 Free Bible Reading Plans: One Year, Two Year, Chronological, Bible Narratives (I like this one for kids, too!), and Daily Lectionary
• Wolfmueller’s Bible Reading Plan (three chapters a day: one OT, one Psalm, one NT)
• This Passion Book, developed by Rev. Andrew Richard, combines woodcuttings and various artwork with the Passion readings traditionally read throughout Holy Week for home and devotional use.

Bible Studies

• Barren Beginnings – Three Sessions by Mary J Moerbe—Note, this is about barrenness in Scripture and not exclusive to barren audiences.
• Concordia Theology
• Feed My Lambs Bible study by Rev. Matthew Harrison (Request from disaster at lcms.org)
• Hope and Healing: Toward healing for survivors of sexual assault
• I Love My Shepherd
• LCMS files from the Document Library
• LWML Bible Studies: Just follow this link and scroll about half way to the bottom of the page
• When disaster strikes a community (Look under Worship Resources)
• Telling God’s Story: 6 to 8 minute Bible studies

Books

• Jesus Never Fails: An Autobiography and History of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation by Rev. Robert Rahn
• Lutherancatechism.com/documents-library/ has some GREAT BOOKS on catechesis and Christian topics.
• Mercy in Action: Essays on Mercy, Human Care and Disaster Response (Request from disaster at lcms.org)
• The Mercy of God in the Cross of Christ (Request from disaster at lcms.org)
• Christian Charity in the Ancient Church (Request from disaster at lcms.org)
• Saints of the Reformation (Lutheran Church–Canada)

Bulletin Inserts

• Kids in the Divine Service for the Lutheran Service Book: Free PDFs!
• LCMS Resource Page for bulletin inserts
• Lessons for Lambs
• Scholia

Catechesis

• According to Your Word
• Catechesis for Life: 42 mini-studies on Luther’s Small Catechism (a companion series offers 23 mini-studies of the liturgy)
• LutheranCatechism.com
• TheSmallCatechism.org
• Apps: CPH for Android/Kindle and Apple systems

Child-Related (also see Catechesis and Courses)

• Bulletin Inserts
  • Kids in the Divine Service for the Lutheran Service Book: Free PDFs!
• Christmas Programs (See Advent & Christmas Resources above)
• Classical Lutheran Education
  • • CCLE website
    • Luther’s Latin Litany!
• Coloring &/or Drawing Pages, Cards or Worship Notes
  • According to Your Word: Draw the Liturgy and Draw the Catechism
  • Bethesda: Welcome to My World: An inclusive coloring book from Bethesda Lutheran Communities
  • Children’s coloring books (available as an LCMS resource) for those affected by:
    • domestic violence (with commentary) or
    • abuse (with commentary)
  • CPH (yes, FREE)
  • Knowledge of Him
  • LWML: Note cards and bookmarks
• Education/Homeschool Helps (Also see Classical Education and my additional page Educational Resources)
  • My own Educational Resources page. (Free and not-free are clearly marked.)
  • Concordia University Chicago: Artists and Their Art: Sharing Visual Stories
  • Creed with Bible References and Suggested Hymns
  • Equipping Families to Use the Hymnal at Home
  • Memory Work for Lutheran Schools and Homes
• Mission Friends
• On My Heart: A free WELS memory-work resource
• Religious Reading Recommendations for Students by Age
• Sunday School or VBS
  • • God’s Hand in our Lives (Sunday School) (Church of the Lutheran Confession)

Church History, Early & More Recent

• Lutheran Treasures of the Old Missouri Synod

Confession Reading Plans

• A summer reading schedule for reading Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, A Reader’s Edition is available here, by RCF and hosted on the website, A Shepherd’s Story, run by Rev. Johann Caauwe, a wonderful WELS pastor. The schedule begins on May 30th on introductory material.
• A summer reading schedule for other editions, including Tappert, Kolb-Wengert, the Triglotta, and Die Bekenntnis-Schriften, is here, by Michael D.Henson. This one begins June 1.
  • I love that that Trig & Die Bekentnis-Schriften were included!!
  • There’s actually a $.99 Kindle edition of the Trig, but I’m not sure how that pans out or CPH has a print on demand version here.
  • I dream of homeschooling families going through the Triglotta, in its three languages, together.
• A 40-day Lenten plan from CPH, originally available here.
• Yearly plan: I think the same Monday through Friday plan is available in both of these places. Begin any time with week one.
  • Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, A Reader’s Edition, pp. 19-22
  • BookofConcord.org (I love that site) has it here, and you can request to join a daily email group! Easy as can be. Perfect. Excellent. 

Courses, Coursework, and Curriculum free of charge!

• 1517 Academy
• CPH FaithCourses
• Gospel Mentoring
• Lutheran Hour Ministry Courses and Learning Library
• St. Polycarp Academy (Yes, a Lutheran organization) offers some of its courses for free.
• Wittenberg Academy offers an entirely free educational program/ curriculum for grades Kindergarten through Sixth!!! (Then they offer paid services for grades seven through twelve.)

Devotions

• Around the Word: Weekly theological content for the curious Christian
• Crumbs (a shorter collection of devotions from the writer of Manna): Weekly devotions written around the One Year Lectionary
• Daily Devotions (ELS)
• Home Devotions: Daily devotions for families with school-aged children
• Lutheran Audio Review: A web-based compilation of Lutheran podcasts and resources
• Rightly Divided: Daily Bible Meditation
• Scholia

Devotions, Individual

• There is a Time by Mary J Moerbe
• The Good Neighbor by Mary J Moerbe

Devotion Collections

• Christ and the Church: a 30-day marriage booklet/devotional
• Lambs at Pasture: Daily devotions for the family including memory work!
• Gospel Notes: Study Notes on the Gospel Reading for the Historic 1-year Lectionary designed for the Laity
• The Lord’s Mercy Endures Forever: 40 Daily Devotions of God’s Comfort (Request from disaster at lcms.org)
• Solus Christus – A free Reformation Devotion for Advent
  (Published Dec 2016)
• Cause for Great Joy, an Advent Devotional based on the Advent and Christmas hymns of Paul Gerhardt (Published Dec 2015)
• From His Fullness We Have Received, a Lenten Devotional based on Grace upon Grace: Spirituality for Today

Digital Resources for Churches & Schools

• Lutheran Stock Photos

Doctrinal Study

• Annotations on the New Testament 12 vols
• Biblical Commentary Old Testament. Keil and Delitzsch.6 vols
• Biblical Dogmatics
• Christian Cyclopedia, ed. Erwin Lueker
• Christian Dogmatics
• Christian Symbolics
• Church Fathers 37 vols
• The Concordia Cyclopedia; A Handbook of Religious Information
• The Creeds Of Christendom 3 Vols
• Schaff’s History Of The Christian Church 7 Vols
• The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
• Kretzmann’s Popular Commentaries
• Philosophia Christi Journal (Ev. Philosophical Society)

Educational (See LutheranHomeschool.com or above at Catechesis or Child-Related)

Exorcism/ Supernatural Warfare

• The House Swept Clean: a biblically balanced pattern for the diagnosis, exorcism, and pastoral care of the victims of demonic possession by Darrell McCulley

Hymnody (Also see Music)

• Come Gathered Again (Lyrics in Word) & Come Gathered Again PDF with accompaniment

International Mission work

• LCMS International Mission (Free resources, although also an important organization to support.)
  • Pray for Us Calendar
• Lutheran Heritage Foundation (Likewise! Great organization!)
  • Small Catechism
  • Book of Concord
  • A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories, etc
• Lutheran Hour Ministry (Likewise)

Journaling/Tracking

• Everbook
• The Holy Mess (free Bible journaling kit)
• Knowledge of Him
• Vintage Grace

Lectures/Papers/Essays/Lutheran Websites I just want you to know about 😉

• CTCR (LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations) Document Library
• The Cranach Institute
• John Kleinig
• LCMS Document Library 
• Project Wittenberg: A growing international electronic library of Lutheranism
• Redeemer Theological Academy
• Scholia Audio (Public domain hymns, sermons, audio books, etc)

Liturgical Living

• All the Household is a fun website that supports Lutheran liturgical living in the home! It talks about various traditions and opportunities we have, as well as offers free printables, recipes, etc.

Ministry Resources (Also see Worship below)

• LCMS Resource Pages for a wide variety of programs, topics, etc!

Music (Listening or Lyrics)

• The Free Lutheran Chorale-Book
• KAGR-LP, Arapahoe, NE 92.1 FM
• KFUO
• KNGN LCMS independently owned
• KNNA-LP: Lutheran radio in Lincoln, NE, online here
• KRRC-LP , Rogue River, OR 94.3FM
• Lutheran Public Domain Liturgy Project
• Lutheran Public Radio

Music (Learning/Making/Playing)

• A Weekly Hymn Selection with Accompaniment
• Children Making Music DVD, put together by the former LCMS Commission on Worship
• Caroling books for Christmas, Easter, and Trinity!
• Hymns for Small Lutheran Hands, Vol. 1 Advent offers 24 familiar hymn melodies
• Organ Playing 101 (Videos below are 8-10 minutes each)
  • Organ Registration — What do all these names mean and how do I know which stops to use?
  • Hymn Introductions — How to add variety and interest.
  • Hymn Playing — How to lead the singing of the congregation with appropriate tempo, pulse, and phrasing.
  • Liturgy Playing — Ideas for leading Divine Service, Setting One.
  • Liturgy Playing — Ideas for leading Divine Service, Setting Three.
  • Leading New Hymns and Liturgical Settings — How to help yourself and your congregation.
• Super simple arrangements of Lutheran hymnody. First post here.

Prayers (Also see Worship below)

• A Collection of Prayers
• LCMS Document Library files on almost anything, including prayers, propers, pray for us calendars, etc.
• Pray for Us Calendar

Podcasts/Youtube/Videos

• Being Lutheran: Three AFLC pastors going through the Book of Concord
• Faithful Forebearers: A podcast that explores historical church figures’ lives, times, challenges, and achievements.
• Higher Things
• Kairos
• Lump of Clay on YouTube & Rumble
• Lutheran Audio Review: A web-based compilation of Lutheran podcasts and resources
  • Possibly too many for me to mention individually, so thanks Lutheran Audio Review!
• The Lutheran Liturgical Choir of Sheboygan
• Lutheran Satire
• The Order of Knight George
• Telling God’s Story: 6 to 8 minute Bible Studies
• Worldview Everlasting

Radio/Music/Talk Shows

• KFUO
• Lutheran Public Radio Talk/ Issues, Etc.
• Lutheran Radio UK
• Lutheran Songbird Project (Youtube and Facebook)
• Pirate Christian Radio (pirate as in outside main stream)

Scholarship/Seminary Resources and Free Offerings

• Concordia Seminary Youtube Page (LCMS)
• Concordia Theology (Sermon helps)
• Concordia Theological Seminary Youtube Page (LCMS)
• CSL Scholar
• CTSFW Media Resources (Over 10,000 sermons, articles, teaching videos, and other resources for the Church
• Media Resources (CTSFW/LCMS): theological articles, course videos, chapel sermons, etc.
• Scholia

Social Issues

(Here is a general link to the LCMS Commission on Theology & Church Relations page and its Document Library, since it has addressed Life Issues, Social Issues, and more.)

• Domestic Violence/Abuse
  • You are Not Alone Prayer Book
  • Hope and Healing Bible Study
  • Coloring Prayer book for children affected by domestic violence
  • Coloring Prayer book for children affected by sexual abuse
  • LCMS Resource Page on Child Abuse
  • LCMS Resource Page on Domestic Violence
• Disability
  • Disability Encouragement & Support
    • Rev. Dr. Alvin H. Franzmeier‘s Blog
    • Wonderfully Made materials
  • LCMS Resource Page on Disability
  •  
• Human Trafficking
  • LCMS Resource Page on Human Trafficking
• Immigration
  • LCMS Resource Page on Immigration
• Life/Ethics/Pro-Life
  • Lutherans for Life
  • (There are also Lutherans for Life around the world, including the Lutheran Church of Australia’s Lutherans for Life!)
  • LCMS Life Ministry Library
  • LCMS Resource Page on Life (See also “Ethics/Pro-Life” category above)
• Marriage & Family
  • Marriage
    • LCMS Resource Page on Marriage
  • Family
    • The Hausvater Project
• Persecution
• LCMS Resource Page on Persecution
• Racism
  • Black Ministry Week resources including book suggestions, podcasts, music, movie, etc
  • LCMS Resource Page on Racism
  • Racism Resources for Lutheran Schools
• Religious Liberty
  • LCMS Resource Page on Religious Liberty
• Sexuality
  • LCMS Resource Page on Sexuality

Spanish Resources

• https://www.lcms.org/disaster/resources
• Estudio Biblico Alimenta Mis Ovejas (Request from disaster at lcms.org)

Wellness, including specifically for Church Worker Wellness

• LCMS Resource pages on wellness

Worship

• Churchly
  • A Collection of Lutheran Prayers
  • LCMS Document Library files on almost anything
  • LCMS Lectionaries: Side-by-Side Comparison
  • LCMS Resource Page on Worship, including the following and more
    • Hymn of the Day studies
    • Kids in the Divine Service
  • Lutheran Public Domain Liturgy Project
  • Scholia Audio (Public domain hymns, sermons, audio books, etc)
• Family(Also see Child-Related above)
  • Lutheran Service Builder App has a free trial version (not currently time-limited), so you can use the site to search for texts during the church year, find matching prayers, liturgies, and hymns, or search for words or tunes.

Woo hoo for free Lutheran resources!!!